As we go through the second half of the book of Revelation, you will notice that there is a progression with what has already been written by John. You will notice this as we go through. But you also notice, like in any prophetic writing, there is repetition, often from different points of view or angles. As one scholar put it, quote, chapters 1 through 11 deal with the victory of Christ over his enemies, culminating in the glorious establishment of the church as his holy temple. And chapters 12 through 22 deal with the victory of the church over enemies, ending with the glorious establishment of God's holy temple, unquote. So there will be repetition as John has us looking at things from different angles. but there will also be progression noticed. Here at the beginning of chapter 12, John actually covers from the incarnation of Christ on earth to the fleeing of the Christians from Jerusalem in 66-67 AD. It's been my contention as we've gone through the book of Revelation that these are things that have since taken place. Since John wrote them, they have since taken place. They've been fulfilled. They took place and were culminated by 70 AD. And here in verses 1-6, John actually covers from the incarnation of Christ to the fleeing of the Christians from Jerusalem in 66-67 AD. Verse 1 says, now a great sign appeared in heaven. A great sign. Meaning that this is an important part of the visions and prophecy. That's why it's called a great sign. And it says here, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of 12 stars. The great sign is a woman. Who is this woman? Who is this woman? The context here reveals her identity. Now before I get to who the woman is, let me tell you that some people believe that the woman is Mary. Some of you may have seen pictures of Mary where she's standing on the moon. You know, the sun's there breaking through, she's like clothed in it, and she's got these little sparkling stars around her head, you know, twelve little sparkling stars. That's because there's Christian men down through the ages who believe that the woman here in this passage is Mary. And as we go through here, you'll see a part where you can see that, yeah, it kind of looks like Mary, and you can see where people come to that idea. But the full context reveals it couldn't be Mary. Couldn't be Mary. The woman couldn't be Mary. First reason people often think that it is Mary is because it says that she's about to give birth, in verse 2, this woman. Then the dragons talked about in verse 3, and in verse 4 it says, His tail drew a third of the stars of eminence through them to the earth, and the dragons stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour a child as soon as it was born. So this gives the idea of Mary, you know, giving birth to Jesus. And the devil right there. Which is exactly what took place. Didn't Herod try to kill the infant Jesus? The devil used him to try to knock Jesus off even in his infancy. She bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. So this is why they think it has to be Mary. But the problem with that view is, when you get to verse 6, it says, then the woman fled into the wilderness where she has a place prepared by God that they should feed her there 1,260 days. Did Mary ever do this? No. Mary never did this and Mary's dead. Also, as you continue on here, you get to verse 17. It says, And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. It's another problem. It has nothing to do with Mary. We'll see her in a few moments. The context is the woman represents the true believers. But some say it's Mary because of verses 2 and 4. But then you have problems with verses 6 and 7 where it's Mary didn't do what was said in verse 6, but the early church did. That was found in Jerusalem. Did do what verse 6 says, which we will see historically in a little while in this sermon. And also in verse 17, you have a corporate view. That there are many, the offspring of the woman, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. It's talking about the true believers, as we'll see as we go through here. Also, just as a side point, if it was talking about Mary, you'd think it would talk about a virgin, you know, giving birth to this male child. And the Greek word for virgin is parthenon. That's not the Greek word used here. Rather, it's just gune, which is the Greek word for a woman. Gounais is the Greek word for a woman. That's what's used here. Parthenon is what's used when Mary is talked about and described in the Gospels. When it says that a virgin is going to give birth. And that God visited the virgin named Mary. Parthenon is used there. So who is the woman? I contend it is the Church. In fact, most scholars do believe it is the Church or it has to do with the true believers. The community of true believers both from Old Testament time and New Testament time. A community of true believers from both Old Testament time and New Testament times. Now, the church is talked about as a woman in a number of places within the New Testament. You can mark these down if you like. 2 Corinthians 11-2. The church of Jesus Christ is described in terms of a woman. Ephesians 5. 25-27, Ephesians 5, 25-27. 2 John, also the book of 2 John. And even Christians themselves are often talked about in terms of being a woman, like in Romans 7, verse 4. You see the terminology being ascribed to us as being in the position of a woman. So the church is described as a woman in other places in Scripture besides here, where John is clearly using the woman as a symbol of the church. And as we've seen as we've gone through the book of Revelation, it is not a book which is to be taken literally as some contend. We've showed the absurdity of that over and over again. Rather, it's a book that is to be taken symbolically, like most prophetic literature is to be taken symbolically. What John had to write is no different. But what John envisions here encompasses both the Old Testament and New Testament believers. This is why, again, we see the number 12, 12 stars around the woman's head, her feet being on the moon, showing permanency, being clothed with the sun, showing righteousness. Verse 6 is clearly talking about the New Testament believers, or the church, specifically those who were in Jerusalem who fled because of what the Romans were doing to the apostate Jews. And verse 17 also talks about this, as does verses starting in verse 11 on forward is clearly talking about the woman in the context of being the church, the community of true believers. The woman represents the true believers, whether Jew or Gentile, as the community of true believers, both Old and New Testament alike. They are the ones who travailed over the centuries to give birth to Christ. It is the community of true believers that has travailed over the centuries to give birth to Christ. In the Old Testament, it was natural Israel and the true believers made up there. In the New Testament, it's the church. Believers in Jesus Christ now have brought forth this birth of Christ. That is who the woman represents. The community of true believers. Satan did all he could to destroy the seed and prevent Christ from coming. But they prevailed and He was born. And then the true believers had to flee to the mountains in 66-67 A.D. as is seen in verse 6. Now, there's many biblical examples down through history of the seed being at war. The seed of Satan being at war with the seed of the woman. Beginning right at the beginning of the Bible in Genesis 3, verse 15 with the protevangelium. Remember there in Genesis 3, verse 15? Why don't we turn there real quickly. This sets the stage for what we see down through the ages. This attempt to wipe out the seed of the woman and to keep the Christ from being born and dying at Calvary. Verse 15 of Genesis 3, I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and her seed. He shall bruise your head and you shall bruise his heel. Meaning Christ bruised the head of Satan. All that Satan was able to accomplish was to bruise his heel. Referring to the crucifixion. Scholars call this the Protet Evangelium. Sets the stage for this war between the seed of Satan and the seed of the woman that has gone down, down through the ages. I want to read to you what one scholar wrote, just to give you a little biblical history on this warfare regarding the woman and her seed, the attempt by Satan to keep Christ from being born. I thought it was very well done. He says, the conflict between Christ and Satan was announced in Genesis 3.15, the war between the two seeds, the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. From the first book of the Bible to the last, this is the basic warfare of history. The dragon is at war with the woman and her seed, primarily Jesus Christ. All throughout history, Satan was trying either to keep Christ from being born or to kill him as soon as he was born. This is why Cain killed Abel under the inspiration of the dragon. The attack on Abel was an attempt to destroy the seed. It was unsuccessful, for Eve then gave birth to Seth, whose name means the appointed one, in place of Abel, Genesis 4.25, and the seed was preserved in him. Satan's next tactic was to corrupt the line of Seth. Thus, within ten generations from Adam, virtually all Seth's descendants apostatized through intermarriage with the heathen, Genesis 6, 1-12, and the whole earth was corrupted except for one righteous man and his family, Noah. Satan's mad rage to attack the seed was so great that the entire world was destroyed, yet still he failed. The seed was preserved with a single family in the ark. The dragon again tried to murder the seed in his attacks on the family of Abraham. On two occasions, Satan attempted to have Sarah raped by a heathen king. Remember that? Abraham was actually going to give his wife over because he was fearful. Genesis 12, 10-20, 20, 1-18. He tried again with Rebecca. Genesis 26, 1-11. The draconic enmity against the seed is manifest also in the enmity of Esau against Jacob. A struggle between the two seeds that began in the womb. Genesis 25, 22-23. Esau, of course, went and married women from pagan nations. The seed was preserved through Jacob. We can also see Satan's attempts to obstruct the seed and Isaac's sinful plan to cheat Jacob out of his divinely appointed inheritance. Again, when the children of Israel were in Egypt, the dragon tried to destroy the seed by having all the male children killed. Remember that? The midwives were ordered to kill all the male Hebrew children. Exodus 1, 500 years later, the seed was being carried in a shepherd boy and again the dragon attacked, twice inspiring a demon-possessed king to throw javelins at him. Talking about David. 1 Samuel 18, 10-11. In fact, the whole machinery of Saul's kingdom went into effect just to try to kill David. Remember that? 1 Samuel 18-27, those chapters. Similarly, the wicked Queen Athalia destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah, the scriptures say, 2 Chronicles 22.10. Yet the seed was preserved in the infant Joash. The only seed left. Haman, the evil prime minister of Persia, would have succeeded in his attempt to launch a full-scale pogrom to destroy all the Jews had it not been for the courage and wisdom of Queen Esther. Book of Esther. The most striking example of this pattern on a large scale occurs throughout the history of Israel. From the exodus to the exile, the covenant people's perennial, consistent temptation to murder their own children, to abort their own children, to offer them up as sacrifices to demons. He's got a whole list of scripture verses where the Jews were involved in that. All attempts by the devil to destroy the seed, to stop the Christ from being born. This is the travail I talk about. The community of true believers. Old Testament. They birthed. They're the woman that birthed the Christ child. It's not Mary that's being talked about in Revelation chapter 12. Why did all this happen? It was the war of the two seeds. The dragon was trying to destroy the Christ. This pattern comes to a dramatic climax at the birth of Christ when the dragon possesses King Herod, the Edomite ruler of Judea, and inspires him to slaughter the children of Bethlehem, Matthew 2, 13-18, all from the age of two and below. Indeed, St. John's vision of the woman, the child, and the dragon seems almost an allegory of that event. It does, doesn't it? And that's why some take the woman as being Mary. But as you see, it can't be Mary as you look at the full context. The dragon tried again, of course, tempting the Lord, Luke 4, 1-13. Remember the temptations? Getting him to pay homage to the devil himself. Seeking to have him murdered, Luke 4, 28-29. Remember the people tried to throw him off a cliff and kill him? subjecting him to human and demonic oppression throughout his ministry, possessing one of the most trusted disciples to betray him, John 13, verse 27, and finally orchestrating his crucifixion. Even then, rather especially then, the dragon was defeated. For the cross was God's way of tricking Satan into fulfilling his purposes according to his wisdom The hidden wisdom, St. Paul says, which God predestined before the ages to our glory. The wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood. For if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." 1 Corinthians 2, verses 7 and 8. In wounding the seed's heel, the serpent's head was crushed. So, this is what I mean. This has been a long history of the community of true believers birthing Christ. Preserving the seed down through these centuries so that Christ could be born. Praise His holy name. Now, it says in verse 2, getting back here to our context, here in Revelation, Chapter 12, verse 1, Now a great sign appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, and on her head a garland of twelve stars. Then, being with child, she cried out in labor and in pain to give birth. She was pregnant. Getting ready to give birth to a child. And verse 3 says, And another sign appeared in heaven. Behold, a great fiery red dragon having seven heads and ten horns and seven diadems on the heads. Who is this great red dragon? Why, it's symbolic of Satan himself. Symbolic of Satan himself. How do we know this? The context again. The context reveals who the woman is, as you read the full context and go through this whole chapter. And the context also reveals who Satan is. Plainly so. In verse 9, it says, So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world. He was cast to the earth and his angels were cast out with him. Verse 9 makes it clear who the dragon is. It's Satan. In chapter 20, verse 2, we see that he's brought up again in this description. He laid hold of the dragon, that serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years." This dragon is Satan himself who has been at war with the seed since the founding of the earth and the fall of man. And again, you see the Old Testament language being employed. The number of heads and horns mentioned here by John regarding Satan add up to the number of total heads and horns Daniel saw on the beasts of his visions. Those beasts were symbolic of nations and empires, you may recall. But they were tools in Satan's hands to try and destroy the seed and kill the people of God. He wore their diadems, it says here in verse 3. He was behind their power is what that means. Now he is here as the woman is about to give birth to again try to kill the seed. To stop the Christ. Look what verse 4 says, His tail drew a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born." Again, are these literal stars that were thrown to the earth by Satan? No. They are symbolic. Most of what is written in the book of Revelation, like any prophetic literature, is symbolic. Not literal. People make up all kinds of eschatological schemes that have been proven false over and over and over again for the last hundred years based on a so-called literal interpretation of the Book of Revelation. It's not meant to be taken that way. It's meant to be interpreted symbolically. What are these third of stars that were thrown to the ground? Well, verse 9 again explains it frankly. They're angels. They're angels. So, the great dragon was cast out. That serpent of old called the devil and Satan and deceived the whole world. He was cast to the earth and his angels were cast out with him. And his angels were cast out with him. Those angels which joined Satan in his rebellion against God were cast to the earth also. Cast out of heaven. Cast to the earth also. So, the context, again, makes it clear what this third of the stars were. They were symbolic of angels and we've seen in the past, in other portions of Scripture, where the stars can be symbolic of two things. One, angels. Secondly, the saints. True believers, whether of Old Testament or New Testament times. Here it's clearly talking about angels. Angels in rebellion against God. Because verse 9 makes it clear. That he was cast to the earth and his angels were cast out with him. The rest of verse 4 says, And the dragon stood before the woman who was ready to give birth to devour her child as soon as it was born. Through this picture here in verse 4, we see that Satan is always threatening the purpose of God in history. Satan is waiting, even as Christ is about to be born. And of course, he did try to kill him through Herod in his infancy. Now, in verse 5, she bore a male child, the Scripture says, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. Guess who this is? Who's the child? Jesus. Jesus is the male child that was born. who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. The child the woman births is a male child. It is none other than Jesus Himself. Notice that He rules the nations. Isn't this what we've been pointing out throughout this book? The kingship of Jesus is what we've been pointing out throughout this book. That this much of what was talked about in the early parts here. Chapters 4, 5, 6, 11 were pictures of the inaugural of his kingship. The rule of his kingdom in the earth. And yes, his rule is here and now. And yes, there is still a future aspect to his kingdom's rule also. As we've seen. This is what we've seen over and over again. the kingship of Jesus, that the book of Revelation is not about an ending, but about a beginning. That the book of Revelation is not about the end of all time, but rather about the beginning of Christ's reign in the earth. Here again, John points us to his kingship. He is the Sovereign of Sovereigns. The Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, and the Scriptures speak of this repeatedly. It was even prophesied before he was even born. Turn to Isaiah 9, verse 7. That he would rule the nations is prophesied even before he was born. Isaiah 9, let's start in verse 6. This is a prophecy about Christ. says, for unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given and the government will be upon his shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace, there will be no end." Amen? His kingship. is something that was extremely important to the early church, was written about significantly by the church fathers, is found in Scripture repeatedly. And yet, most in American Christianity today talk nothing of his kingship. In Matthew 2.2, the Magi came and said, where is he who is born King of the Jews? At the very beginning of his life. And at the very end of his life, Pontius Pilate had a sign put up over his head that said, here is Jesus, King of the Jews. Luke 19.38 says, blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord. Remember as Christ was approaching Jerusalem? John 12.15 says, behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt. as Christ approached Jerusalem. Luke 23, 2, we see Jesus accused of being a king. John 19, 15, when Pilate told the Jews, behold your king, the apostate, natural Israel Jews replied, we have no king but Caesar. Paul calls Jesus in 1 Timothy 1.17, the Eternal King. In 1 Timothy 6.15, he calls Jesus, quote, the blessed and only potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, unquote. In Revelation 17.14 and Revelation 19.16, those passages say the same things about Jesus. They call Him the King of kings and Lord of lords. In Revelation 1.5, you may recall, the Scripture says there regarding Christ, just describing who He is, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. In Revelation 11.15, Well, we just went to. I just covered last time. Then the seventh angel sounded and there were loud voices in heaven saying, the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ and He shall reign forever and ever. We saw contextually this was talking about 70 A.D. when the temple was destroyed. Burying the animal sacrifices forever. That temple will never be rebuilt. There will never be animal sacrifices again. They've tried to do it over the centuries and it's been stopped and failed every time. And here, our passage in chapter 12, verse 5 says, She bore a male child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron. Jesus is the ruler of the nations. His kingship is talked about repeatedly in spite of the mealy-mouthed, baloney, narcissistic, introverted Christianity that we have filling our countryside in America with its pathetic, putrid fruit. Look at the state of our culture in which this church resides. A church, which was meant by Christ to radically transform the cultures it finds itself in, has accommodated itself to the culture in America and become like the world. It's pathetic. Christ's kingdom, on the other hand, was meant to be a conquering kingdom. So much so that the gates of hell would not prevail against his church. That doesn't mean the church is standing still. And the gates of hell can't get in. It means the church is expanding and moving forward in the earth so much so that the gates of hell can't stand against it. And topples it. We have people sitting around spending all their years of Christianity, spending all their lives of Christianity, checking their prophecy charts, when is Jesus coming back? Over and over again. Week after week, people talk to me. Tell me how terrible things are getting in this country. And then they always say this at the end. But that means Jesus is coming back any day. That means Jesus is coming back any day. That means Jesus is coming back any day. They believe a lie. Chinese Christians said the same thing before Mao took power. Jesus is coming back any day. Look how bad things are getting. It's because things are getting worse in America doesn't mean Jesus has to come back any day. They're getting better in other nations. What? Does God fly an American flag in His throne room? So since things are getting worse here, He has to return? What about the nations in Africa and South America where great revival has been going on, where they're actually embracing the moral law of God for the legislative law on their lads? What about them? They're getting better there. If you lived there, you'd see Christianity growing, booming, expanding. We're becoming smaller. Christianity is constricting, becoming less in this country. Not because Jesus is about to return, but because we're a whore of a church. We're a rebellious people who have not surrendered all our lives to Christ. And Jesus said, if you will not be the salt of the earth, the only thing you're good for is to be thrown on the ground and be trampled under the foot of men. That's the judgment we're under in this nation. has nothing to do with Jesus coming back any moment. Jesus is a king. This statement here clearly is talking about Christ. He is the male child who is to rule all nations with a rod of iron. This is a quote out of Psalm 2, which is a messianic psalm, a prophetic psalm about the Christ. Turn with me to Psalm 2 and let's read it there. Psalm 2. Why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed, saying, Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us. Against the Lord and against His anointed. He who sits in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall hold them in derision. Benny shall speak to them in his wrath and distress them in his deep displeasure. Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree the Lord has said to me." This is talking specifically about Christ. I will declare the decree the Lord has said to me. You are my Son. Today I have begotten you. Ask of me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance." He's the ruler of the nations. He's the king who we're supposed to serve, whose kingdom we're supposed to see expanded in the earth. This isn't just some little narcissistic guy to help us out with all our problems over in a corner somewhere. He's a conquering king. whose kingdom expands throughout the earth, whose nations come under his rule. Ask for me and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron. You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel." The kinship of Christ, the only true potentate The King of kings, the Lord of lords, and the kings of this earth need to get in line with His kingship. And this is what Christianity taught for hundreds of years. Christ had a conquering kingdom. It's only been the last 150 years and we've got this mealy-mouthed nonsense. This effeminized, female-filled Christianity. Read Barna's thing. Why aren't men getting involved in Christianity? Maybe it's the type of Christianity that America has. It caters to females. Christ has a conquering kingdom. Men understand that. Men want to fight. Psalm chapter 2. He's a conquering king. This is why the early church understood and declared to the kings, verses 10-12. When they proclaimed the gospel, they went to the rulers. You look at the apologists. You look at the missionaries of the youthful, young church. They went to the rulers of the nations first. Then to the peoples. And here's what they declared to him. Verses 10-12, Now therefore be wise, O kings, be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and you perish in the way. When His wrath is kindled but a little, blessed are those who put their trust in Him. The kings of the earth are to come under the rule of Jesus Christ. Because He is the ruler of the nations. We saw the entire Western world conquered for Christ because of what the early church believed. If you've ever studied Roman culture, America looks saintly compared to Roman culture. And yet the early church, because of their fealty to Christ, their utter surrender and devotion to Him, conquered that culture for Christianity. Homosexuality was rampant in Roman culture. Lesbianism was rampant within Roman culture. And by the end of the fourth century, laws were actually in place criminalizing homosexuality. Infanticide, the killing of children, just like we have abortion today, rampant in that culture. By the end of the fourth century, laws were made criminalizing the infanticide wall because of the impact Christianity had in the earth. That they could turn a culture that was botched and evil and filthy as the Roman culture and bring it under the lordship of Christ is unbelievable. And you want to sit around and moan about America? Yeah, it might be a pile of garbage till the day you die, but let me tell you, his kingdom's going to continue. His kingdom will march on in spite of the rebellion of man today and the rebellion of his church today here in America. A brighter day will come. His kingdom will continue to expand and conquer in the earth. Jesus is the man-child that rules the nations with a rod of iron. The saints of old knew and understood this. They spoke often of His kingship. They wrote often of His kingship. They wrote hymns and sang of His kingship. You know, if you look at our own hymnal right here, look at the Christmas hymns. You know, they're all old. Most of them are very old hymns. It's a good setting just to get a little picture versus of how Saints of old viewed Christ as a king and how it's not viewed that way at all by the modern-day American church. In our own hymnal, there's 47 Christmas songs. You know how many talk about Christ's kingship? 31. 31 of the 47 Christmas songs talk about His kingship. You think the saints of old might add a little different view about Christ, His kingdom, His kingship, than the American church today does? We'll just sit around and say, we're needy people. We're all needy and we should all make excuses for each other's sin. Jesus is just that little buddy, that little hoo-hoo guy. Fluffs us along and helps us out during those down times. He carried me in the sand. That's why there are only one set of footprints. And all the other baby, mealy-mouthed nonsense that's prevalent over and over and over again in American Christianity. Do you see how the thinking of the Christians then compares to the thinking of the Christians today? Whereas now the songs put Jesus on the level of buddy, or sidekick, or genie in the bottle, or co-pilot, the saints of old sang of his kingship and of his kingdom. And because of this, they served him faithfully to see his kingdom expand and flourish in the earth. What we believe about God affects how we govern our lives. The reason we have a church in this country like we do is because of what the church has been teaching who Jesus is and about His kingdom for the last 150 years. Do you see the putrid fruit running through our streets of this Christianity? I do. And it sickens me. In Acts 17, verse 7, what do the Scriptures say about those who follow Jesus? Turn with me there. Acts 17. Notice the testimony of the early Christians. Acts 17, verse 7. There's a big tumult. I know that's horrible to modern day Christianity. Oh, if anything's of Jesus, it'll be peaceful, calm, and milquetoast-like. If there's any kind of hoopla, or stir, or problems, or an unkind word said, that can't be Jesus. How many times have I been on the campus where the students are acting like animals because the Word of God's being preached, and you have some dopey Christian come up and say, this can't be of God. Look at this. God wouldn't be in this. Have you read the book of Acts? Here's another place where a big fight's taking place. A tumult's going on. A melee. There's trouble because the Word of God's going forth. And it's always been this way down through history. Read the writings of history. Read the Scriptures in the book of Acts. Look at the things Patrick experienced when he was in the streets of Ireland. Look at George Whitfield, a recent example. Everybody loves George Whitfield. He can preach to 30,000 people without a microphone. Everybody thinks, oh, George Whitfield preached, everybody hung on his every word, baloney. I have a painting in my house that makes it plain and clear. There's George Whitfield up on an oak barrel preaching. They weren't all sitting out there quietly, hanging on as every word. One guy's up in a tree, blowing a horn at his head. Another guy's out in the crowd, beating a drum. Another guy's out there doing a juggling trick. Another lady's on a stepladder, reading poetry. You see people trying to disrupt the preaching of God's Word. There was chaos going on in this painting. And yet, in the midst of that, God still works by His Spirit in the hearts of men. So here's a tumult going on. Acts 17, verse 7 says, Jason. Jason has harbored them. And these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar. Saying, there is another king. Jesus. Saying, there is another king. Jesus. We march to a different drumbeat. Over at Urbana, they want nothing to do with the pre-born, do they? But you know what they spent most of their time talking about to the students? Environmental concerns. That was their big emphasis this time for their World's Missions Conference. Environmental concerns. They want, and this is what we see so much of in Christianity today, the church wanting what the world views as important to be important to them so they can feel relevant. And by trying to be relevant, they actually make themselves irrelevant to the Kingdom of God. It's horrible. Verse 6 says, "...but when they did not find them, they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city, crying out, These who have turned the world upside down have come here too." What was the testimony of these men? They turned the world upside down. Do we have any young men, any middle-aged men, any elderly men with only a few grains of sand left in the top part of the hourglass who want to turn the world upside down for Jesus? We need to faithfully serve Him, amen, in every aspect of our lives. It's good that we teach our children at home. It's embracing an aspect of the Christian life. It's good that we do courtship. It's embracing an aspect of the Christian life. On and on and on. You need to do it in every area of life. Verse 7, Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying, there is another king, Jesus. This was the testimony of the early Christians. They taught that there was another king. His name was Jesus, and it's His Lordship that we come under. It's His rule that we observe. And when the state commands that which He forbids, or forbids that which He commands, we obey Him rather than the state. Today we have a Christian people in America that will find every way to accommodate themselves to the state. When you read the history of Christianity, it's a history of conflict with the state. Because we serve Christ. Praise His holy name. We serve a king. He has a kingdom. And we're to make His kingdom known in the earth. Back to chapter 12. The end of verse 5 says, "...and her child was caught up to God in His throne." So John here covers the incarnation of Christ. And in verse 5, covers the ascension of Christ from earth. So Christ, as is depicted in Acts chapter 1, has now ascended to the right hand of God. And verse 6 says, then the woman fled into the wilderness where she has a place prepared by God that they should feed her there 1,260 days. After Christ's ascension to the right hand of the throne of God, the woman, which symbolically we have seen as the community of true believers in the New Testament, the church, flees to the wilderness and is cared for by God for three and a half years. What does this speak of? And again, do you see the Old Testament imagery here? Very picturesque of Elijah going into the wilderness. for three and a half years during the drought. What does this speak of? I submit to you that it speaks of 70 A.D. It speaks of when the Christians fled Jerusalem in 66 to 67 A.D. and remained away for three and a half years while the Romans were destroying apostate, natural Israel who was being removed as the chosen people of God, culminating with the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. By the way, we've gotten copies of this book, The Church Is Israel Now. If you're interested in a copy, let me know. All Scripture. All Scripture. showing terms that were applied to Old Testament natural Israel, now applied to the church in the New Testament. All Scripture. Natural Israel is not the chosen people of God any more than those who believe in British Israelism think that the white people are the chosen people of God. Your racial heritage has nothing to do with being one of the chosen people of God. To be one of the chosen people of God, you have to repent and believe in Jesus. Amen? All those who repent and believe in Christ, they are the chosen people of God. Praise His holy name. I submit to you that verse 6 is talking about when the Christians fled Jerusalem from 66 to 67 AD. That's what's being talked about. We know historically that in 66-67 AD, that the early Christians did indeed, we know this historically, did indeed leave Jerusalem. They left Judea and went up north to Pella, P-E-L-L-A. Pella, which was located about 20 miles south of the Sea of Galilee. So Jerusalem's down here by the Dead Sea's here. Jerusalem's about here. Way up here is the Sea of Galilee. Twenty miles south of that is Pella. It's in the foothills, mountainous region, the city of Pella. They did this, we know historically, to escape the attacks by the Romans upon Jerusalem. We know the reason they did this was that they were following Christ's command from the Mount Olivet discourse, where he warned them when they saw the Roman army surrounding Jerusalem to flee to the mountains. You know, the Mount Olivet discourse, which the futurists say is still all to come? No, it all took place already. By 70 A.D. it was fulfilled. Turn with me to Luke chapter 21. Luke chapter 21, verses 20-22. This is the Mount Olivet Discourse. But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. Then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let those who are in the midst of her depart, and let not those who are in the country enter her. For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled." This took place in 66 to 70 AD. The destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans. And during that time, the Christians that were in Jerusalem, we know historically, fled to Pella, a mountainous region 20 miles south of the Sea of Galilee, outside of Judea. Verse 32 of Luke 21 says, "...Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all things take place." This generation was talking about those he was speaking to then at that time. And it did, in fact, take place within 40 years. That's how long a generation is biblically. Forty years. Those people he talked to that day did live to see that. Because 70 A.D. took place 37 years later. And all was fulfilled. Which was written, as he says in verse 22, We know historically also that Eusebius, the early church historian from the 4th century, he said that these Christians left and fled Jerusalem because of Christ's warning at the Mount Olivet Discourse. Eusebius applied what Jesus said at the Mount Olivet Discourse to the 70 AD scenario. not to some futuristic scheme as we have today. The futurists today want to say, oh, when Israel becomes a nation, Christ will return within 40 years. So, when I was a young Christian back in the late 70s, they said Christ is coming back any day because Israel became a nation in 1948. Jesus has to return by 1988. Because of this. 1988 came and went. Jesus didn't return. There is precedent in Scripture for a 60-year generation. They said that must be it, even though it's in the minority, big time. We'll go with the 60 years now that 88 is here and all this hasn't happened, that we said was going to happen. Well, guess what? 2008 has since come and gone, hasn't it? Go read their books and websites now. You know what they talk about now? Well, as long as someone who was alive in 1948 is still alive. That's the generation that Jesus is talking about. Give it up. Admit you were wrong. All this stuff isn't in the future. All this stuff has already taken place and it was fulfilled by 70 A.D. Verses 1-6 covers the incarnation. covers the incarnation to the fleeing of Jerusalem by Christians in 66 to 67 AD. Let's stand up. We'll close in a word of prayer. Hallelujah, Father. Lord, we thank you for this time we had in your Word today. Thank you that we're able to take time to go through And Lord, we thank you that we see excitement. Lord, that we're not just all supposed to be blue, and this is just meant to be, and oh well. Just sit back and watch it all take place. Enjoy the wickedness. Jesus meant it all to take place. Rather, Lord, we see that it is our own failure as a church in this country that things are in the state they're in. Help us each as individuals, as part of your church, to repent, O God, of our own selfishness, our own pride, our own arrogance and indifference and selfishness. Lord, help us to seek after You, to desire You, to want to live for You and Your Kingdom. Our days are short. We are like the grass of the field. Lord, I just ask and pray that we would live our lives purposefully in service to You. Praise Your holy name. Glory and honor unto You, O God. For that is the chief end of man. To live to glorify You and to enjoy You forever. Lord, I ask and pray that You do a work within each of our hearts. May we see, may we get a smell a sense of what your kingdom is all about, and may we move forward in faithful service to you, knowing that you will use our obedience here on the earth for your purposes, for the furtherance of your kingdom, to the glory of your name and to the good in other people's lives. Blessed is your holy name, O Lord. Give us a hunger to seek you, Give us a hunger to serve You. Lord, let us lay aside the sin which so easily besets us. And let us live in ardent obedience to You, making our days count. Lord, those of us who've gotten older, may we not get weary. May we not get comfortable. Lord, continue to work in our hearts and minds. Revive us afresh. Stir us anew. Help us to continue on. Help us to hate evil and to love you, O God. Let us to speak your law and your word wherever we see evil rays, its ugly head, or we see rebellion mounting. Help us to be faithful to you and to shout your law, your word, your great salvation from the mountaintops, from the housetops, in the streets, and in the byways, O God. Praise your holy name. Do it to all of us, O Lord. Men and women alike in this congregation and beyond the walls of this church. All those who love you, seek you, and desire you. Do a work in our hearts, O God. Do a work in our hearts, we pray. Blessed is your holy name. Glory to you, O God. For we're needy in that we need you. In order to live the life You've called us to live, we need You. We can do nothing without You. You are the vine. We are the branches. We can do nothing without You. May we draw close to You, O Lord, and seek Your holy face. O Lord, deal with our hearts. Break our hearts. Convict our hearts, O God. Strengthen our hearts. May our hearts rally around You, around Your kingdom. Desiring to see your kingdom expanded in this earth. Your name glorified throughout the earth. And we ask these things in Jesus' holy name. Amen. Hallelujah. Praise His name.